Summer Literacy Institute - 2012

Workshop Presenter: Kelly Gallagher

Readicide: How Schools Are Killing Reading and What You Can Do About It (2009)

Teaching Adolescent Writers (2006)

Twenty Questions Homework (2006)

Building Adolescent Readers (2005)

Deeper Reading: Comprehending Challenging Texts, 4-12 (2004)

Reading Reasons: Motivational Mini-Lessons for Middle and High School Students (2003)

Kelly Gallagher is a full-time English teacher at Magnolia High School in Anaheim, California, where he has taught twenty-seven years. He is the former co-director of the South Basin Writing Project at California State University, Long Beach. Follow Kelly on Twitter @KellyGToGo.

Thursday Evening Banquet Speaker: Maggie Stiefvater

photo by Kate Hummel

Maggie Stiefvater is the author of the highly praised YA novel, The Scorpio Races (Scholastic Press, 2011), winner of the Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of 2011, the Horn Book Fanfare Book of 2011, an Amazon.com Best Young Adult Book of 2011, the 2011 Publisher's Weekly Best Book of the Year, a 2012 Michael L. Printz Honor Book as well as being noted as one of the School Library Journal Best Books of 2011. Previous to The Scorpio Races, Stiefvater was already making waves as a writer with the publication of The Wolves of Mercy Falls series which includes Shiver (Scholastic, 2009), which won the Publisher's Weekly Best Book of 2009, Linger (Scholastic, 2010), a USAToday Bestseller, and Forever (Scholastic, 2011), also a USAToday Bestseller. The entire trilogy is a New York Times Bestseller, with Linger becoming the #1 New York Times Bestseller for a week in 2010. The Raven Boys, available in September 2012, is the first installment in her new series, The Raven Cycle. Stiefvater graduated from Mary Washington College with a B.A. in History and has worked as a waitress, calligraphy instructor, and technical editor before settling into the role of author. She now lives in Virginia with her husband, two children, two dogs, and one cat.

Friday Author Panel and Author Sessions

Our featured authors will share their journeys as writers and readers on Friday through a panel discussion followed by breakout sessions.

Kathryn Erskine
Hillary Homzie
Jacqueline Jules
Alexandria LaFaye

Kathryn Erskine

Kathryn Erskine is the author of the acclaimed children's novel, Mockingbird (Penguin, 2010), winner of the 2010 National Book Award, 2011 International Associate Reading Award, the 2011 ALA Children's Notable Book Award, and the 2011 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults award, among others. Erskine began publishing in 2004 with her debut novel, Ibhubesi: The Lion (PublishAmerica, 2004) and continued to publish her young adult novel, Quaking (Penguin, 2007), which was chosen for the 2008 ALA "Top Ten" Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers, VOYA's 2007 Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers, and the 2009-2010 Virginia Reader's Choice list. Erskine's most recent novel, The Absolute Value of Mike (Penguin, 2011), is the winner of the 2011 Junior Library Guild Selection, BookPage's "Best Children's Books of 2011", and a nominee in the 2011 ALA's Best Fiction for Young Adults. Erskine, who was born in the Netherlands and has lived in Israel, South Africa, Scotland, and Canada, now resides in Virginia with her family.

Hillary Homzie, a former comedy sketch artist, is the author of the tween novels, The Hot List (Simon & Schuster/M!X, 2011) and Things are Gonna Get Ugly (Simon & Schuster/M!X, 2009). Homzie's comedic chapter book series, Alien Clones From Outer Space (Simon & Schuster/Alladin, 2002), is a Children's Book-of-the-Month Club pick and is noted in The Children's Literature Lover's Book of Lists as one of the top thirty funniest books for children. Homzie earned a master's degree in education from Temple University and a master of arts degree from Hollins University in Children's Literature and writing. In addition to being a creative consultant for a television show inspired by Alien Clones from Outer Space, Homzie is an associate visiting professor of creative writing for the Hollins University Graduate Program in Children's Literature. She currently lives in Napa, California, with her family.

Jacqueline Jules is the award-winning author of 23 children's books, including Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Takes Off (2010 CYBILS Literary Award, Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Honor Award, ALSC Great Early Elementary Reads), Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation (2010 Library of Virginia Cardozo Award), Benjamin and the Silver Goblet (2010 Sydney Taylor Honor Award), Duck for Turkey Day (TN Volunteer State Award List, Washington State Children's Choice Book Awards list), and No English (DE Diamonds list, TN Volunteer State Award list). Also a poet, Jacqueline won the Arlington Arts Moving Words Contest, Best Original Poetry Award from the Catholic Press Association, and the SCBWI Magazine Merit Poetry Award. Most of the subject matter for Jacqueline's work comes from her experiences teaching and working as an elementary school librarian. She lives in Northern Virginia.

Alexandria LaFaye is the author of 12 children's and young adult books. While she primarily writes historical fiction, her work also includes fantasy and her recently published picture book, Walking Home to Rosie Lee (Cinco Punto Press, 2011). Much of her writing has received awards, including Year of the Sawdust Man (Best Books of 1999 List for Bank Street School of Education, VOYA's Outstanding Titles of 1998), Worth (2004 Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, 2004 Spur Award Finalist, Western Writers of America, 2004 California Book Award, Best Young Adult Novel, 2005 Charlie May Simon Award Honor Book, 2005 Distinguished Work of Historical Fiction, Children's Literature Council of Southern California), and Stella Stands Alone (2009 SIBA Award Nomination). In addition to writing, Alexandria teaches children's and young adult literature at Hollins University and Hamline University. She lives in Arkansas with her family.

Looking for three graduate credits?

EDSL595/EDUC595: The Joy of Reading

This course will be offered in conjunction with the Institute. Major topics addressed will include "readicide" and reading promotion. Institute-featured authors' works will be read. Participants will explore the joy of reading.